For the sheer sense of history and ancient influences it brings to the tables, few cuisines can match the intrigue of Middle Eastern food—originating, by most accounts, in Lebanon and radiating out to Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Iran, Armenia, and Morocco. Some dishes, like hummus, have entered the American snacking canon and become as ubiquitous and salsa and ranch dip. Others are more obscure, though no less rewarding.

While many Americans were introduced to this cuisine through non-Middle Easterners like Paula Wolfert and Claudia Roden—cooks who spent years learning, then teaching the rest of us, about the ingredients, textures, and flavors that characterize the flavorful cooking—the Internet allows access to a broader well of recipes. You just have no where to look.

The more you delve into Middle Eastern cooking, the more you’ll notice the similarities among these cuisines, from a deep love of rice to a deft touch with sweetness in savory food. Many Middle Eastern dishes make the most of the harvest from the region, the Fertile Crescent, which translates cleanly to summer eating here: what sounds better than a table laid with creamy hummus, crisp tomato-cucumber salad, and warm homemade pita?

Our experts—food writers, recent transplants from Israel (by way of Lebanon and Morocco), and bloggers who both grew up on these cuisines and made them their own—picked out the mezze, the meats, and the sides you need to know to cook Middle Eastern food at home, as well as the most tried-and-true recipes for making them shine.

Ron and Leetal Arazi, cooking teachers and owners of homemade couscous store NYShukLouisa Shafia, author of the acclaimed cookbook, The New Persian Kitchen (Ten Speed Press, 2013), whose Silk Road-inspired cooking has been featured in the New York Times,Wall Street Journal, and New York MagazineShayma Saadat, award-winning food writer, photographer, and supper club host, and creator of The Spice SpoonLiz Della Croce, creator and author of The Lemon Bowl, a healthy food blog inspired by her Syrian heritageCara Eisenpress, editor at Big Girls, Small Kitchen, author of In the Small Kitchen, and First We Feast contributor

1. Hummus

Best recipe:Taste of BeirutLiz Della Croce says: Whenever I’m looking for traditional Middle Eastern recipes, I know that I can trust Taste of Beirut, a beautiful blog written by Joumama. Her hummus recipe is simple, which is exactly how it should be prepared: good quality chickpeas, fresh garlic, bright lemon juice, and rich tahini.

2. Falafel

Best recipe:Dirty Kitchen SecretsRon and Leetal Arazi says: Falafel is the ultimate Middle Eastern street food. It's made from ground chickpeas and spices, then fried for a crunchy outer layer while the inside is nice and soft. This recipe is perfection.

3. Tabbouleh

Best recipe:Annisa HelouLiz Della Croce says: The key to traditional Lebanese tabbouleh is to go heavy on the parsley, light on the bulgur wheat. This beautiful recipe from Annisa Helou, shared by David Lebovitz, provides the perfect balance of ingredients tossed in a simple lemon and olive oil based dressing.

4. Ground Meat and Onion Kabob (koobideh)

Best recipe:Tumeric SaffronLouisa Shafia says:Koobideh kabob is made with ground meat and spices. The meat is molded onto long metal skewers and grilled. Every bite is full of sweet, tangy onion and char-grilled meat. These take a little more work than your average kabob made from marinated chunks of meat, but the flavor is worth it. This is the best recipe for koobideh because the only additions to the meat are onions, salt, and pepper, which is the simplest way to make them. The author talks about making kabob throughout the year in Iran, even in winter, so you get a sense of just how much Iranians love this dish.

5. Flaky Cheese Rolls

Best recipe:Engin AkinCara Eisenpress says: Engin Akin, the Turkish Martha Stewart, taught me how to roll these cheese-filled borek-like savory pastries when I took a cooking course with her in Istanbul. Turkish pastry sheets, called yufka, are slightly different from phyllo, but phyllo sheets can be subbed in and these will still be deliciously rich and flaky.

6. Lentil Stew (Mejadra Freekah)

Best recipe:Matkonation Ron and Leetal Arazi says: A classic Middle Eastern comfort food dish made of cooked lentils, spices, rice, and lots of fried onion—perfect with a side of yogurt. In this recipe, Matkonation does a great version of the mejadera by combining it with freekeh instead of rice. Freekeh, wheat that is harvested while still green and smoked to preserve it for longer periods, is another Middle Eastern staple.

7. Shakshuka

Best recipe:Smitten KitchenCara Eisenpress says: An easy vegetarian main, shakshuka is basically eggs poached in tomato sauce. I’ve heard mixed opinions on whether peppers should appear in the sauce; Deb’s recipe uses hot peppers, which seems like a happy medium. Eat this for breakfast, lunch, or dinner with homemade pita.

8. Persian Chicken Rice

Best recipe:My Persian KitchenShayma Saadat says: Persians have elevated the preparation of a rice dish to an art form. This recipe beautifully brings together meat and rice, with the added tang of barberries, easily found in Persian or Middle Eastern grocery stores.

9. Baked Kibbeh

Best recipe:Maureen AboodLiz Della Croce says: This savory baked meat dish made with warm cinnamon gets a major flavor boost from toasted pine nuts and a touch of rich butter. Perfect for family gatherings or freezing in advance, baked kibbeh is one of the most delicious and popular Middle Eastern dishes.

10. Roasted Chicken with Sumac

Best recipe:OttolenghiRon and Leetal Arazi says: Sumac is a reddish-purple powder made from grounded sumac berries, it has a very lemony taste and is identified with Middle Eastern cuisine. Sumac is one of the ingredients in the famous za’atar spice mixture, and it is what makes that spice combination unique. Really, anything with sumac—not just chicken or lamb—should be on the Middle Eastern must-make list. Ottolenghi’s expertise at layering flavors has really popularized Middle Eastern cooking around the world.

11. Koshary

Best recipe:Serious EatsCara Eisenpress says: The ingredients in this omnipresent Egyptian street food may make you gasp. Lentils upon rice upon pasta—carb upon carb upon carb. But a tangy, garlicky tomato sauce binds them all together together and makes this rib-sticking dish taste like more than the sum of its parts. In this recipe, caramelized onions replace the typical fried onions—they’re easier to make at home.

12. Jeweled Rice (Morassa polo)

Best recipe:New York TimesLouisa Shafia says: Persian rice is a blank palate that is decorated with all kinds of ingredients in classic combinations, such as sour cherries and almonds, fava beans and dill, and carrots and oranges. Jeweled Rice is the pinnacle of Persian rice dishes, and it’s always on the menu at weddings and special occasions. This is the best recipe for Jeweled Rice because there are several important Persian cooking techniques included in the recipe, like grinding saffron and steeping it in hot water before cooking, and making a crunchy tahdig crust on the bottom of the rice using potato slices.

13. Muhammara

Best recipe:Paula WolfertCara Eisenpress says: Walnuts and breadcrumbs form the base of this addictive dip. Pomegranate molasses and red peppers help build the enigmatic sweet taste and rich red color. Plenty of olive oil (don’t skimp) binds the nuts and flavors together in extraordinary recipe from Paula Wolfert.

14. Harissa

Best recipe:Ana SortunCara Eisenpress says: Harissa is a spicy condiment you’ll spoon on top of almost any main dish once you grow to love it. Ana Sortun, chef at Oleana, has an incredible way with Middle Eastern flavors in general. Here, she adds sundried tomatoes to her harissa in order to give it a ketchup-like consistency. The recipe calls for Urfa chilies for kick—they are most easily ordered online.

15. Saffron Rice Pudding (Sholeh Zard)

Best recipe:Food and FarsiLouisa Shafia says: The combination of saffron, rice, butter, and cardamom is magical. It’s such a simple dessert—smooth, rich, but otherworldly and new because of the Silk Road spices. This is an Iranian favorite, and a good recipe to master if you’re exploring Persian cuisine. This is the best version of the recipe because the author explains how rice pudding is considered a blessed, lucky food in Iran, and shows the fanciful way that this dessert is traditionally decorated. The recipe is simple and clear, with well-balanced flavors.

16. Pita

Best recipe:The KitchnCara Eisenpress says: Warm from the stove, pita is the quintessential connector between other Middle Eastern favorites: hummus, falafel, dukkah, olive oil. This recipe makes pita-making—and bread baking in general—approachable, giving you a reason to enjoy the incredible puffing up of a pita as you cook it on a stovetop.

17. Aushak (Afghan Dumplings)

Best recipe:Desert CandyShayma Saadat says: The dumpling finds itself in kitchens all over the world. So many cultures have their own version—the Chinese have their shumai, the Poles have their pierogies, and the Japanese have gyoza. Afghans make aushak—a leek paste-based dumpling which is slathered with garlicky, thick yogurt and a layer of spiced tomato meat sauce. I chose this specific recipe for aushak because it is vegetarian-friendly—something you don't come across often, as Afghan food is quite meat-heavy. It's most certainly the way I would prepare it for my vegetarian guests.

18. Doogh

Best recipe:Tumeric SaffronLouisa Shafia says: I think of this as “fizzy yogurt soda.” It sounds weird, but it’s simply drinkable yogurt that’s served cold over ice, and seasoned with mint and a little salt. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a plate of kebab. This is the best recipe for doogh because the author, gives you all kinds of background on the dish, and even tells you how to make the yogurt from scratch. She also includes optional seasonings like rose petals and wild celery, which I had never heard of.

19. Fattoush Salad

Best recipe:Mama's Lebanese KitchenLiz Della Croce says: The Middle Eastern version of an Italian panzanella, this bright and tangy Lebanese bread salad is the perfect way to use leftover pita. Crunchy, fresh and full of flavor—this recipe from Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen is right on the money.

20. Dukkah

Best recipe:Chocolate and ZucchiniCara Eisenpress says:Dukkah, a ground nut-and-spice mixture, is most often eaten as part of an appetizer spread. You dip warm bread in olive oil, then pick up some dukkah from a neighboring bowl. Once you get the hang of grinding dukkah, you can make it your own, customizing the proportion of spices and nuts to suit your taste.

21. Meat and Rice–Stuffed Grape Leaves

Best recipe:Dede MedLiz Della Croce says: Dede Med’s dishes are not only authentic and delicious, but she also shares video demonstrations for every recipe on her site. Easy to follow and created in a home kitchen, Dede's recipes will inspire any home cook to give Lebanese food a try.

22. Za’atar

Best recipe:101cookbooks.comCara Eisenpress says: Za’atar refers both to the strain of wild thyme that grows in the Middle East and to this spice mixture, which makes the most of dried thyme leaves. The other ingredients are sesame seeds and tangy sumac, and the combination is beautifully balanced between rich, herby, and citrus notes. Za’atar is also commonly spread thickly on top of bread rounds before baking. This recipe gives you the basic formula and is especially useful if you’d like to dry your own thyme.

23. Fig Ice Cream

Best recipe:Delicious ShotsRon and Leetal Arazi says: The Middle Eastern climate creates the perfect soil for a fig tree, which yields the tastiest fruit that is associated with Middle Eastern food—it's perfect with salads, desserts, or just to enjoy it as is. Najwa from Delicious Shots did a wonderful ice cream recipe that is by far the best use of figs in the summer.

24. Tomato and Cucumber Salad (Salad Shirazi)

Best recipe:Bon AppetiteLouisa Shafia says: Salad Shirazi—hailing from the storied Iranian city of Shiraz—is a classic tomato and cucumber salad, versions of which you will see all over the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The Iranian take on this salad has lots of tart lime juice, and a mix of fresh and dried herbs. This is the most exciting version of the recipe because it highlights farmer’s market produce, using a mix of heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers, and five fresh herbs. This version of the salad is so striking and full-flavored that it could be the centerpiece of a meal.

25. Turkish Coffee

Best recipe:EpicuriousCara Eisenpress says: Because Turkish coffee is made by mixing the grounds straight into hot water—no filter or anything—you never want to tilt your cup back and down it in one go. This recipe gives very precise details about the level of simmer you want and a tutorial on how sweet to make your coffee to fit in with the Turks.

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